diff --git a/functions b/functions
index f1f9ebda..3ced8100 100644
--- a/functions
+++ b/functions
@@ -21,27 +21,14 @@ set +o xtrace
 function save_data {
     local release=$1
     local dir=$2
-    local mysql_services="keystone glance nova cinder ironic"
-
-    echo_summary "Sourcing $release DevStack config"
-    source $dir/functions
-    source $dir/stackrc
     echo_summary "Dumping $release databases"
     mkdir -p $SAVE_DIR
-    if grep -q 'connection *= *mysql' /etc/ceilometer/ceilometer.conf; then
-        mysql_services+=" ceilometer"
-    elif grep -q 'connection *= *mongo' /etc/ceilometer/ceilometer.conf; then
+    save_mysql_dbs $release $dir
+
+    # TODO(sdague): this should go into per project save-state scripts
+    if grep -q 'connection *= *mongo' /etc/ceilometer/ceilometer.conf; then
         mongodump --db ceilometer --out $SAVE_DIR/ceilometer-dump.$release
     fi
-    for db in $mysql_services ; do
-        if mysql -uroot -p$MYSQL_PASSWORD -c $db -e ''; then
-            mysqldump -uroot -p$MYSQL_PASSWORD $db >$SAVE_DIR/$db.sql.$release
-        fi
-    done
-    neutron_db_names=$(mysql -uroot -p$MYSQL_PASSWORD -e "show databases;" | grep neutron || :)
-    for neutron_db in $neutron_db_names; do
-        mysqldump -uroot -p$MYSQL_PASSWORD $neutron_db >$SAVE_DIR/$neutron_db.sql.$release
-    done
 }
 
 
diff --git a/grenade.sh b/grenade.sh
index 07d7a77c..6c3cd663 100755
--- a/grenade.sh
+++ b/grenade.sh
@@ -218,6 +218,7 @@ function run_javelin() {
 # Install 'Base' Build of OpenStack
 # =================================
 
+ENABLED_SERVICES=$(source $BASE_DEVSTACK_DIR/stackrc; echo $ENABLED_SERVICES)
 load_settings
 
 if [[ "$RUN_BASE" == "True" ]]; then
diff --git a/inc/upgrade b/inc/upgrade
index 861242eb..c646669f 100644
--- a/inc/upgrade
+++ b/inc/upgrade
@@ -14,6 +14,25 @@
 # License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
 # under the License.
 
+DATABASES_TO_SAVE=""
+
+# save_data
+function save_mysql_dbs {
+    local release=$1
+    local dir=$2
+    # pull the mysql pass from the old config
+    local mysql_pass=$(source $dir/stackrc && echo $MYSQL_PASSWORD)
+    for db in $DATABASES_TO_SAVE; do
+        mysqldump -uroot -p$mysql_pass $db >$SAVE_DIR/$db.sql.$release
+    done
+}
+
+# register a database we should save
+function register_db_to_save {
+    for db in $@; do
+        DATABASES_TO_SAVE+=" $db"
+    done
+}
 
 function upgrade_service {
     local local_service=$1
diff --git a/projects/10_keystone/settings b/projects/10_keystone/settings
index 8a409ca0..36f6cf8e 100644
--- a/projects/10_keystone/settings
+++ b/projects/10_keystone/settings
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
-register_project_for_upgrade keystone
\ No newline at end of file
+register_project_for_upgrade keystone
+register_db_to_save keystone
diff --git a/projects/20_ceilometer/settings b/projects/20_ceilometer/settings
index 698c3feb..38e41a67 100644
--- a/projects/20_ceilometer/settings
+++ b/projects/20_ceilometer/settings
@@ -1 +1,4 @@
-register_project_for_upgrade ceilometer
\ No newline at end of file
+register_project_for_upgrade ceilometer
+if grep -q 'connection *= *mysql' /etc/ceilometer/ceilometer.conf; then
+   register_db_to_save ceilometer
+fi
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/projects/40_glance/settings b/projects/40_glance/settings
index 1893781f..24323a13 100644
--- a/projects/40_glance/settings
+++ b/projects/40_glance/settings
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
-register_project_for_upgrade glance
\ No newline at end of file
+register_project_for_upgrade glance
+register_db_to_save glance
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/projects/50_neutron/settings b/projects/50_neutron/settings
index b1241705..00c4b9cd 100644
--- a/projects/50_neutron/settings
+++ b/projects/50_neutron/settings
@@ -1 +1,5 @@
-register_project_for_upgrade neutron
\ No newline at end of file
+# eventually this conditional will end up at a different level
+if is_service_enabled q-svc; then
+   register_project_for_upgrade neutron
+   register_db_to_save neutron
+fi
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/projects/60_nova/settings b/projects/60_nova/settings
index 4a243f32..a08f0a18 100644
--- a/projects/60_nova/settings
+++ b/projects/60_nova/settings
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
-register_project_for_upgrade nova
\ No newline at end of file
+register_project_for_upgrade nova
+register_db_to_save nova
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/projects/70_cinder/settings b/projects/70_cinder/settings
index ba358a76..2d27da44 100644
--- a/projects/70_cinder/settings
+++ b/projects/70_cinder/settings
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
-register_project_for_upgrade cinder
\ No newline at end of file
+register_project_for_upgrade cinder
+register_db_to_save cinder
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/projects/90_ironic/settings b/projects/90_ironic/settings
index 73fb5fdd..4dffe875 100644
--- a/projects/90_ironic/settings
+++ b/projects/90_ironic/settings
@@ -1 +1,4 @@
-register_project_for_upgrade ironic
\ No newline at end of file
+if is_ironic_enabled; then
+   register_project_for_upgrade ironic
+   register_db_to_save ironic
+fi
\ No newline at end of file